Hybrid circuit breakers

Abstract

Hybrid gas circuit breakers comprising a main breaker tank having an interrupter assembly positioned therein, bushing support nozzles laterally extending from the breaker tank, disconnect switches coupled to and extending generally upwardly or vertically from the bushing support nozzles, and bushings assembled to the disconnect switches. In addition, bushing current transformers (BCTs) are assembled on the bushing support nozzles adjacent the breaker tank instead. The lateral positioning of components results in a low assembled height permitting shipping of a fully assembled and tested unit for voltage ratings up to and including 362 kV.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hybrid gas circuit breaker comprising:
 a tank having a longitudinal axis, 
 a mechanical interrupter positioned within the tank, 
 first and second bushing support nozzles having a longitudinal axis, 
 first and second disconnect switches, 
 intake and exit bushings, and 
 first and second bushing current transformers (BCTs), 
 wherein the hybrid gas circuit breaker having a shipping state configuration and an operational state configuration, wherein the shipping state configuration includes the longitudinal axis of the tank being oriented horizontally, the first and second bushing support nozzles protruding laterally from the tank from a first end of the first and second bushing support nozzles with the longitudinal axis of the first and second bushing support nozzles being oriented horizontally, the first and second BCTs are coaxially assembled on the first and second bushing support nozzles, the first and second disconnect switches are coupled to a second end of the first and second bushing support nozzles and extending upwardly in a vertical direction from the first and second bushing support nozzles, and the intake and exit bushings are coaxially assembled to and vertically extending from the first and second disconnect switches, and 
 wherein the operational state configuration matches the shipping state configuration. 
 
     
     
       2. The hybrid gas circuit breaker of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanical interrupter is positioned in a horizontal orientation within the tank. 
     
     
       3. The hybrid gas circuit breaker of  claim 1 , wherein the tank, first and second bushing support nozzles, first and second BCTs, first and second disconnect switches and first and second bushings are mounted in the operational state configuration to a support frame. 
     
     
       4. The hybrid gas circuit breaker of  claim 3 , further comprising a control unit mounted to the support frame for operational control of the hybrid circuit breaker. 
     
     
       5. A 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly comprising:
 first, second and third hybrid circuit breaker poles, wherein each of the first, second and third hybrid circuit breakers comprise
 a main breaker tank having a longitudinal axis, 
 a mechanical interrupter positioned within the tank, 
 first and second bushing support nozzles having a longitudinal axis, 
 first and second disconnect switches, 
 intake and exit bushings, and 
 first and second bushing current transformers (BCTs), 
 
 wherein the hybrid gas circuit breaker having a shipping state configuration and an operational state configuration, wherein the shipping state configuration includes the longitudinal axis of the tank being oriented horizontally, the first and second bushing support nozzles protruding laterally from the tank from a first end of the first and second bushing support nozzles with the longitudinal axis of the first and second bushing support nozzles being oriented horizontally, the first and second BCTs are coaxially assembled on the first and second bushing support nozzles, the first and second disconnect switches are coupled to a second end of the first and second bushing support nozzles and extending upwardly in a vertical direction from the first and second bushing support nozzles, and the intake and exit bushings are coaxially assembled to and vertically extending from the first and second disconnect switches, and 
 wherein the operational state configuration matches the shipping state configuration. 
 
     
     
       6. The 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first, second and third hybrid circuit breaker poles are gang operated with a single mechanism to operate all three phases. 
     
     
       7. The 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a support frame, wherein the first, second and third hybrid circuit breakers are mounted in the operational state configuration on the support frame. 
     
     
       8. The 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a main control unit mounted on the support frame. 
     
     
       9. The 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a first breaker control unit in communication with the main control unit. 
     
     
       10. The 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first breaker control unit houses a mechanism coupled to a lever assembly that operates the interrupter of the first circuit breaker. 
     
     
       11. The 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first control unit houses lever assemblies that operate the interrupter of the second and third circuit breakers. 
     
     
       12. The 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising first, second and third breaker control units in communication with the main control unit. 
     
     
       13. The 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising structural support legs coupled to the support frame to maintain the hybrid circuit breaker assembly in spaced relation with the ground. 
     
     
       14. The 3-pole hybrid circuit breaker assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first, second and third breaker control units utilize separate mechanisms mounted on each of the first, second and third hybrid circuit breaker poles for independent-pole-operated (IPO) operation.